San Jose man convicted of stealing thousands from construction firm

MONTEREY, Calif. - A San Jose man was convicted of stealing over $3,000 worth of items from a construction company that hired him for painting work, Monterey County prosecutors said.   

A jury convicted Rolando Vallarta of grand theft by embezzlement last Friday, the Monterey County District Attorney's Office said in a statement Wednesday.   

Prosecutors said Vallarta was hired by Avila Construction Company in July 2020 to perform painting work on two properties in Monterey. The court found that he had purchasing privileges on the firm's KellyMoore Paint account to purchase items necessary for the completion of the painting projects.   

On July 8, 2020, Vallarta was told that the following day would be his last on the project and he would not have another job for the company. Michael Avila, owner of Avila Construction, told Vallarta to complete his final project.   

The court found that Vallarta then purchased $907 worth of items from Kelly-Moore Paint on the company's account that day. He was found guilty of stealing those and other items, including a $2,000 paint sprayer, from the property.   

There were no further details about Vallarta's sentencing.